Saved
by AerinBrown
Summary: Jaina and Zekk are on a mission on a desolate planet, when an assassination attempt backfires. Jaina and Zekk realize that their lives would be empty if they did not contain each other. Sounds like fluff, I know, but please R&R!!
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer thing: I definitely don't own any of these characters! I just love them so much I couldn't bear to leave them alone. So please don't sue me! You wouldn't get very much from me anyway.  
  
  
  
Jaina Solo leaped nimbly up to the top of the last boulder and turned around, peering down the 100-foot tall mountainside  
  
'Hey Zekk!' she hollered, leaning precariously over the edge, 'Coming up?' Zekk, a hand raised to shade his eyes from the enormous sun as he watched his friend's graceful ascent, shook his head.  
  
'No thanks,' he called back, 'I think you can manage on your own.' Jaina shrugged and dropped down the opposite side of the boulder. As Zekk awaited her reappearance, he kept a casual eye out for any potential danger. Anything that tried to sneak up on them would have a hard time staying unnoticed, considering the fact that there was nothing to hide behind. Not that any thing would try to sneak up on them. Nothing had happened in the three days that they had been roasting on this barren rock of planet. There were no trees, no shrubs, no bugs, and no sentient beings. For that last one, Zekk was grateful. Life usually meant diplomacy. Not one of Zekk's strong points.  
  
'Hey Zekk!' came the call for the second time that morning. 'I found it!' An instant later, Jaina herself appeared, triumphantly waving a large, leafy shrubbery.  
  
'You sure?' Zekk asked, hoping she was right. That plant was the reason they were on this rock in the first place. Named after the fateful disease for which it was the sole cure, Anmica was extremely rare and grew only in hot, rocky, waterless places. When an Anmica epidemic broke out on one of the outer rim territories, Master Skywalker had sent many of his students on missions to find the life-saving vegetation.  
  
Jaina dropped lightly to the ground beside Zekk and handed him the plant for inspection. 'That's it, right?' she asked. Zekk turned the plant over in his hand, examining the plant for its distinguishing purple- spotted roots.  
  
'Yup, this is it.'  
  
'Good,' Jaina said. 'Let's call home.' Zekk nodded and they set off for camp. They had been left here with no ship, one small communicator, and enough supplies to last them five days. Master Skywalker never let an opportunity for training slip through his fingers and all the trainees had been sent out with the expectation that they were to survive without the luxuries of a space shuttle.  
  
Zekk stopped as he felt a tug through the Force. Jaina laid a hand his arm and cocked her head.  
  
'Zekk, what....' Zekk raised a finger to his mouth in warning and Jaina fell silent, though it wasn't really something he heard. Zekk shook his head.  
  
'Something's not ri...' his mouth froze as a foot wide ion blast appeared out of nowhere, heading straight for Jaina.  
  
In an instant, their lightsabers were drawn, but Zekk realized in the same second that there was no way that they would be able to deflect that shot. Without hesitation, Zekk shot his lightsaber in the direction that the blast had materialized in the hopes that he would hit something and hurled himself in front of Jaina just in time to catch the fiery blaze directly in the chest. Zekk dropped to his knees. Staring up into Jaina's shocked face, he smiled. I love you Jaina.  
  
  
  
A/N: Hey you guys, I know that this is short, but I never intended to it to be long!!!! Like I said before, it's fluff!! (I did say that, didn't I?) 


	2. Chapter Two

A/N: Yup, here's chapter two. Hope ya'll like it! Please R & R !  
  
  
  
Jaina watched, horrified, as her best friend jumped in front of her, catching the ion blast full in the chest. As he fell to the ground, he smiled and his final thought filled her mind. I love you Jaina. A sob tore from her chest as she leaped forward. Above her, an explosion filled the air and the previously hidden ship now flickered into sight. Jaina hovered protectively over Zekk's limp form as sparks and bits of metal showered down upon them. The lightsaber had obviously hit its mark. As Jaina stared down at her friend, a strange calm filled her and she stood, determined that the ship that had ended Zekk's life would not make its escape.  
  
Thoughts of Zekk filled her as she reached out with the force, thoughts of him laughing, smiling, talking. Living. The mysterious ship froze, locked in Jaina's invisible grip. Filled as she was with the Force, disabling the shuttle's mechanisms was easy and the ship was soon solidly anchored to the planet's shifty soil with a heavy hand of power. Once the enemy was secured, Jaina turned her attentions to the limp form beside her.  
  
Dropping beside Zekk, Jaina frantically looked for the communicator only to realize that Zekk had been wearing it last, clipped on the front of his vest. Giving up on the communicator, she searched for signs of life from Zekk, but in vain. Refusing to give up, Jaina closed her eyes and sent a wave of the Force through Zekk. Jaina shivered as she coursed through Zekk's cold body. There was nothing left, no warmth, no pulse, no..... Jaina froze. There was something left, a frail whisper of what was once Zekk. Jaina then did what was considered by many powerful to be impossible. With small tendrils of the Force, she grasped the fading ghost and held on tight.  
  
But he was slipping; she could feel it. Tears coursing down her cheeks, the realization that she might be facing a life without Zekk hit her full force and she broke down, large sobs racking her body. For without Zekk, life would be empty. But Jaina wouldn't have survived this long if she always gave up in the face of overwhelming odds. Wiping away her tears, Jaina straightened. As long as there was a part of Zekk left, she would save him. Help me Jacen, she thought, sending her message across the galaxy. Taking a firmer grasp on Zekk's spirit, Jaina took a deep breath and began to pour her life force into Zekk.  
  
Five hours later, Zekk stirred. Too deep in concentration to notice, Jaina pressed on. The flow of power continued, and if it was thinner than it had been when she started, it was still steady. Jaina lurched forward, her body growing weak as her own life began to dim. She shook her head to clear the blackness, making sure that the link was still stable. With another shake of the head, Jaina blinked her eyes and rubbed her temples. She was getting tired. No longer able to keep her head up, she slumped down beside Zekk. Jacen she thought silently as blackness engulfed her. Where are you? 


	3. Chapter Three

At the moment, Jacen was slumped down in the cockpit of the Flyer, nervously strumming his fingers on the arm of his chair. It had been three hours since Jaina's last message, and he was still unable to reach her. He knew, deep down, that something was terribly wrong.  
  
'Jacen, we are here.' Jacen leaped from his seat and ran to the view port as the large, brown planet loomed up ahead.  
  
* * *  
  
Zekk's eyes drew open slowly, coming to focus on the familiar stonewalls of the Jedi Academy Infirmary. He turned his head, confused as to why he was there, when his gaze fell on the nearby cot. Zekk stared at Jaina's sleeping figure, his hand flying to his chest as memories rushed back.  
  
'Jaina?' he whispered. An answer came, though not from whom he expected.  
  
'She won't be awake for awhile, I'm afraid." Master Skywalker stepped into the room, hands clasped behind his back.  
  
Zekk looked at him, his face hard. 'Did they hurt her?' If they did...Skywalker shook his head.  
  
'No, she did this to herself.' Without allowing time for Zekk to question him, he spoke quickly. 'Zekk, what happened out there? Jacen told us that Jaina needed help and we left immediately. When we arrived, you were both lying unconscious next to a rather battered shuttle. We had to pry Jaina off of what was left of you. You were pretty badly hurt.'  
  
Zekk shook his head regretfully. 'We had just found the Anmica and were heading back to camp. An ion blast came out of nowhere. Our lightsabers were no match.' Skywalker rubbed his chin.  
  
'And it was aimed at you?'  
  
Zekk cleared his throat. 'No sir.'  
  
'So how did you manage to get in front off it, if I may ask?'  
  
'I jumped, sir.'  
  
'Ah,' Luke said, thinking for a moment. 'I am very grateful, Zekk, for doing that. Jaina's a lot shorter than you. If it had hit Jaina, she more than likely would have been decapitated.'  
  
'I know, sir,' Zekk said gravely. It was his turn for reflection as he remembered Luke's earlier comment. 'Sir, what did you mean by 'she did it to herself'?' he asked, gesturing toward Jaina.  
  
Luke paused. "She poured almost all of her life force into, Zekk. If we hadn't arrived when we had to break the connection, she wouldn't have made it.' Zekk closed his eyes. If Jaina had died...but she hadn't; she was lying right beside him in the nearby cot. Zekk looked at her to reassure himself, and then back at Luke.  
  
'Master Skywalker, what about the shuttle?'  
  
'Jaina had apparently deactivated the ship. We hauled both you and the shuttle back here, and we managed to get inside of the ship. There was one passenger, the pilot. He was dead, a suicide. Apparently he was more afraid of the reward for failure than he was of us. The shuttle is unlicensed, with no distinguishing marks, and no way to find out where it came from. Just another assassination attempt.' Zekk started. How could it be 'just another assassination attempt'? But, he realized, Jaina's life had been full of things like this.  
  
'Sir, when will-' his question was cut off by a rather larger yawn that nearly split his head in half. Luke grinned.  
  
'Go to sleep Zekk. She'll wake up before you do." Zekk nodded, stifling another yawn as he closed his eyes. 


	4. Chapter Four

Zekk climbed the last step and leaned against the doorframe, a little tired from the trip to the top of the academy. When he had finally wakened and found Jaina gone, it had taken him forever to pry her location from the nurse. And when he tried to leave! Zekk had seriously contemplated tying the nurse up; in the end, he had snuck from the room when her back was turned, walking as fast as he possibly could, terrified that she would come after him. Zekk chuckled at the thought of the plump nurse running down the corridors after a weak, stumbling Jedi trainee. Jaina turned at the small noise. A huge smile spread across her face as she realized who it was.  
  
'Zekk!' she exclaimed. Jaina jumped to her feet, running across the roof to throw her arms tightly around Zekk's neck. Zekk grunted, grabbing the doorframe in a desperate attempt to prevent a fatal fall down the long staircase.  
  
'Jaina,' he gasped, 'I can't breathe.' Jaina dropped back to the ground.  
  
'Sorry! I'm just so glad to see you. Awake. And alive.' Her smile faded. 'Oh, Zekk, I was so afraid that I would never see you again.' She sprang forward again, her arms doing their best to finish the job that the ion blast had started. Zekk carefully stepped away from the doorway, carrying Jaina, whose feet didn't even touch the ground, along with him. He didn't make it very far before his knees buckled and he was suddenly thankful for Jaina's firm grip. Jaina's relief turned to concern and she pulled him over to the wall. Zekk sank thankfully to the stone.  
  
'Sorry,' she said again, sitting down beside him. 'I should have known you would still be a little weak.' They sat in silence for a moment, Zekk trying to dredge up courage that had suddenly ran and hid.  
  
'Jaina, I have something to...' he stopped, realizing that Jaina was speaking at the same time. They both laughed.  
  
'You first,' Zekk said.  
  
Jaina hesitated, staring out into the forest. 'Zekk, do you remember what you said to me, after you...you jumped in front of me? Well, not said exactly, more like thought.' Jaina turned briefly to search Zekk's face before returning to her scan of the woods.  
  
Zekk thought hard but he couldn't recall much at all. He shook his head.  
  
Jaina sighed. 'Oh. Well then, what did you want to tell me?'  
  
Zekk cleared his throat. 'Master Skywalker told me what you did, saving my life and all, and well, thank you.' Jaina frantically shook her head.  
  
'No Zekk! You saved me. If you hadn't jumped in front of that shot, I'd be dead.'  
  
'Did you ever wonder why I jumped in front of you?'  
  
'Well, we're friends, and you're taller, and well, I don't know...' Jaina trailed off, floundering, thinking that she knew why but wanting Zekk to say it.  
  
Zekk chuckled and ducked his head. 'That's part of it but,' he paused, watching Jaina from the corner of his eye. 'As I saw that ion blast heading for you Jaina, I suddenly realized how empty my life would feel if you weren't in it.' Jaina's head jerked and their eyes locked.  
  
'Since you don't remember what you said Zekk, I'll guess that I will just have to remind you.' Jaina's voice was soft and Zekk had to lean in to hear what she said next. 'I love you'  
  
Zekk leaned in closer. 'I thought that it might be something like that.'  
  
Jaina nodded and her eyes sparkled. 'You never got to hear my response.'  
  
Zekk laughed. 'I was a little preoccupied at the time, but I'm all ears now.' Jaina smiled and Zekk softly whispered,  
  
'I love you too.' 


	5. Epilogue

A/N: It's short, I know, just like all the others. *shrug*  
  
  
  
Luke Skywalker turned from the window to face his friends and family who had assembled in his room to hear the details that had been uncovered about the assassination attempt. Luke hesitated however, for there wasn't much to be said.  
  
'The shuttle has been gone over piece by piece,' he started, 'and we are no closer to finding out who sent it then we were when we first brought it here.'  
  
'What about the pilot?' Jacen asked.  
  
Luke shook his head. 'Nothing. The pilot was human, with no distinguishing marks, no record. He could be anyone.' Luke looked to Zekk and Jaina to see how they were taking the news. Zekk looked worried, while Luke had seen more expression on Jaina during her botanical class. He shouldn't be surprised though, he supposed. After all, Jaina and her family had been dodging assassins her whole life.  
  
'So I guess we'll never know who did it, huh,' Anakin said. Luke shook his head, but it was Jaina who answered.  
  
'It doesn't matter,' she said, smiling at Zekk. Zekk grinned and took her hand.  
  
'Nope, I guess not.' 


End file.
